Sample shoe.



R. T. JENNEY & L. M. LILLY. SAMPLE SHOE. AfiPLICATION man JULY 31, 1913.

1 1 8 1 ,5 98 Patented May 2, 1916.

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ROBERT THOMAS JENNEY, OF DE PERE, WISCONSIN, AND LEONARD MAURICE LILLY, OF WHITE BEAR, MINNESOTA.

SAMPLE SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT THOMAS JENNEY and LEONARD MAURICE LILLY, citi- Zens of the United States, residing, respectively, at De Pere, in the county of Brown and State of Visconsin, and White Bear, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sample Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in sample shoes.

It is the practice of shoe salesmen to carry large numbers of narrow width shoes completely made up. This practice results in a large expenditure for complete sample shoes which, being of uncommon sizes, sell at a great loss. A large amount is also usually expended for fillers which add considerably to the weight of a salesmans sample cases, thus necessitating the payment of excessive baggage and drayage charges.

It is the object of our invention to reduce the first cost in the making of sample shoes,

to eliminate the loss on the sale of sample shoes and to reduce the number of fillers ordinarily required, as well as the packing space and the weight of the shoe salesmans equipment.

A further object is to provide a sample shoe adapted to permit a salesman to display a large line of shoes in limited space.

To accomplish these ends, we construct a shoe wherein the sole is detachable from the upper, which is open at the bottom to receive a form or other filler; thus a number of styles may be assembled, one after the other, on the same form or other filler, by applying interchangeable soles to each of a plurality of uppers.

In the drawings, Figure'l is a side elevation of our complete sample shoe, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper, showing the construction of its lower portion and also illustrating a form within the upper; Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate respectively a side elevation and plan view of the form and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the detachable sole.

Referring to the drawings, we have used the reference letters A and B to indicate respectively the upper and sole of the shoe and C to designate the form for said shoe. The

upper A is made in the usual manner, with the insole omitted, the lower edge of the upper at the heel being lasted to a heel-piece 10 and the edge of the upper and tip at the toe of the shoe being lasted to a toe-piece 11. Said toe-piece is perforated at 11 to receive a clip member 25 to be hereinafter described. The pieces 10 and 11 retain the heel and toe of the upper in their finished form and the edges 12 of the upper between said heel-piece 10 and toe-piece 11 are secured in proper position by the straps 13, which may be resilient, and extend at intervals across the opening at the base of said upper. These straps are stitched or otherwise secured to the edges 12 and each strap is supplied with a suitable fastening device which may be unclasped to separate the strap and permit the passage of a form into or out of the upper, through the opening in the bottom thereof. The fastening device we prefer to use consists of a pair of clips 14, each clip being secured to one of the separable ends of the strap 13 and being formed with a lug 15 adapted to engage a similar lug on its companion clip.

The form or filler for the shoe may be constructed in any convenient manner and of any suitable material. We prefer, however, to use a solid form C of two sections 16 and 17, the out between the parts pass 'ing horizontally upward from the ball of the form to the upper central portion there of, as illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5. Pins 18, in the section 16 of the form, fit into grooves 19 in the section 17 to prevent lateral move ment between said sections and the plunger stop 20 in the section 16 normally overlaps the section 17 of said form to prevent upward movement of one section with respect to the other.

The detachable sole B, of any suitable material. includes the sole piece 21, heel 22 and a dummy welt 23 at the upper margin of the sole piece. This sole is removably secured in position with respect to the upper A in any convenient manner, the means illustrated comprising clips or fasteners, each fastener consisting of male and female members 2% and 25. The members 25 are secured to and spaced apart upon the form C in positions to receive their companion clip members 2 1, which are secured upon the inner surface of the sole piece 21 and said clips are located in positions to hold the sole B in normal position with respect to the upper.

In use, a sole B and form C are made to be applied to a plurality of uppers. A

salesman, desiring to exhibit any particular style of shoe, passes the form through the opening in the bottom of the upper. The fasteners on the straps 13 are then clasped together and the sole B secured to the upper by joining the clip members 24 and 25, thus completing the process of assembling the shoe. In taking the shoe apart, the sole B is detached, the fasteners on the straps 13 unclasped and the form C removed from the upper A.

Aside from the advantages hereinbefore pointed out, our invention is particularly useful for the reason that an outwardly complete shoe may be displayed without making up and finishing the shoe as is now the practice. This construction also permits the use of the uppers in the manufacture of salable shoes after the samples have served their purpose, thus eliminating the usual loss in the sale of made-up sample shoes, which are usually narrow and often unsalable. The soles may be constructed of inexpensive material and may be employed year after year in conjunction with new uppers. As the forms are inserted through the bottom of the upper instead of the top, the buttons or laces remain undisturbed and the finished appearance of the upper is preserved.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. A sample shoe comprising an upper, a form for said upper, a sole adapted to be applied to the upper and means for detachably securing the sole to said form in normal position with respect to said upper.

2. In a sample shoe, an upper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a form for said upper adapted to be inserted through said opening and a sole detachably connected with said form.

3. In a sample shoe, an upper formed with an opening in the bottom thereof, toe and heel pieces lasted in the bottom of said upper, a form adapted to be inserted through said opening in the upper, a sole and means for detachably securing said sole in its normal position with respect to said upper. V

4. In a sample shoe, an upper formed with an opening in the bottom thereof, a form for said upper adapted to be inserted through said opening, means for joining the opposite lower edges of said upper, a sole and means for detachably securing said sole in normal position with respect to said upper.

5. A sample shoe comprising an upper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a form consisting of sections, said sections be ing adapted to be inserted through said opening and assembled within said upper, means for stretching the upper upon said form and a sole for said upper detachably secured to said form.

6. A sample shoe comprising an upper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a form adapted to be inserted through said opening, means for stretching the upper upon said form and a sole, supplied with a dummy welt at the margin thereof, detachably secured to said form.

7. A sample shoe comprising an upper having an opening in the bottom thereof, a plurality of straps secured at intervals to the lower edges of said upper, fastening devices on said straps, a form for said upper and a sole detachably secured thereto.

8. A sample shoe comprising a form, an upper fastened in place on said form with the lower edges thereof turned under the bottom of said form and fastened thereon, recesses in the bottom of said form, a sole having fasteners on the upper side thereof engaging with said recesses to detachably hold the sole in position thereon, said fasteners being concealed by said sole when in position on the form.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT THOMAS J ENNEY. LEONARD MAURICE LILLY.

Witnesses F. C. CAswnLL, F. M. HARDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

